Full scale video with overlaid graphical user interface and scaled image

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to displaying full scale images with overlaid similar scaled images and a graphical user device in a display of a client device. The client device receives video streams of the full scale images and scaled images. The video streams are broadcast independent of one another, and a user of the client device may manipulate the format of the images of either or both streams, and/or place the scaled image on any portion of the full scaled image. The graphical user interface is placed so it does not obscure the scaled image. Alternatively a single video stream may be received by the client device. When a single video stream is received, the client device creates two video streams, one stream comprising full scale images and the other stream comprising scaled images. The full scale image is overlaid with the scaled image and the graphical user interface.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a divisional of and claims priority to U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/665,714 filed on Sep. 19, 2003 entitled “Full Scale Videowith Overlaid Graphical User Interface and Scaled Image” by inventorsDavid H. Sloo, Ronald Morris, Peter T. Barrett and Jeffrey Fassnacht.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to interactive television systems, andparticularly, to user interfaces used in such systems.

BACKGROUND

Interactive television (ITV) is an evolving medium offering a user moreenriched viewing experiences in comparison to previous televisionbroadcasting mediums (i.e., radio frequency and cable televisionbroadcasts). ITV makes use of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) withinteractive menus that provide valuable information to users. Examplesof such information include descriptions regarding programs, the time inwhich particular programs are displayed, and different variations suchas languages in which a program may be viewed.

It is common for a user to invoke a GUI-based menu while watching avideo program. Unfortunately, the menu is often distracting to theuser's ability to continue watching the video program, as the user mustmentally switch from viewing the video images to focusing on the GUI. Insome cases, the GUI replaces the video program on the screen. Depictingthe menu in place of the video program completely interrupts the user'sability to continue watching the video program, which typicallycontinues to run in background.

In other cases, the GUI may be overlaid or displayed directly onto thevideo images. In this situation, however, the overlaid GUI usuallyobscures the video program, blocking out portions of the video imagesand thus interrupting the user's ability to view the video program whilethe GUI is present. In still other cases, the video images may be scaledto fit alongside a displayed GUI. However, this technique typicallyinvolves resizing the video images to properly fit an allocated sectionon the screen along with the GUI. In other words, a predetermined formatdefines allocated sections on the screen for the user interface and thevideo images when they are simultaneously displayed. Also, when fullscale video images are switched to scaled images, distortion may occur.For example, the user may have chosen to view a movie in letterboxformat, but properly presenting the GUI with the scaled video imagesmight require sizing the video images to a format different thanletterbox format, which distorts the video images.

In the above described and other techniques, the video images areinterrupted, obscured, and/or distorted, affecting the user's viewingexperience when the GUI is called up. Although the user may desire tocall up the graphical user interface, the user may be hesitant to do soin order to avoid missing part of the video program.

SUMMARY

The system and methods described herein provide a graphical userinterface (GUI) that minimizes distraction to the viewing experience ofwatching ongoing programming while the GUI is present. For particularimplementations, a full scale image is displayed on a screen. A visuallysimilar, but scaled image and a GUI are overlaid on the full scaleimage. The scaled image and the GUI are placed on the screen so that theGUI does not obscure vision of the scaled image. In this manner, whilethe GUI obstructs viewing of the full scale image, it does not obstructviewing of the scaled image.

In certain implementations, a user may perform an action to format thescaled image for better viewing without affecting the format of the fullscale image. Alternately, the scaled image may automatically beformatted for better viewing without affecting the format of the fullscale image. The user may also initiate actions on the graphical userinterface that changes or provides new information displayed on thegraphical user interface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary system that supportstransmitting and receiving multiple video streams.

FIG. 2A illustrates an exemplary display screen in which a graphicaluser interface and a scaled video image are overlaid onto a full scalevideo image according to a first layout.

FIG. 2B illustrates another exemplary display screen with a secondlayout that is different than the first layout depicted in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary television serverthat provides one or more video streams.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary television clientdevice that receives one or more video streams.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process of providingvideo streams of full scale and scaled images.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process of presenting agraphical user interface on a screen.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following disclosure concerns techniques for presenting a graphicaluser interface (GUI) during play of video programs. The techniques willbe described in the exemplary context of television (e.g., cable TV,ITV, satellite TV, etc), where a program menu or guide is invoked whilevideo programs continue to be displayed on screen.

In the described implementation, a GUI-based menu is overlaid atop afull scale video image. A scaled version of the video image is alsodepicted simultaneously with the menu and overlaid on the full scalevideo image. The overlaid menu and scaled video image blocks portions ofthe full video scale image; however, a user views an unobstructed andnon-distorted scaled video image similar in appearance to the full scalevideo image. The menu may be used to display information related tobroadcast programming and responsive to actions initiated by the user.

Although there are many possible implementations, the techniques aredescribed in the context of an interactive TV environment, which isdescribed first in the next section.

Exemplary Environment

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary system 100 that provides identical videostreams. System 100 is a television entertainment system thatfacilitates distribution of content and program data to multipleviewers. The system 100 includes a television server 105, and multipleclient devices 110(1), 110(2) . . . 110(N) coupled to the televisionserver 105 via a distribution network 115. Exemplary system 100 mayinclude any number of television servers and client devices. Althoughexemplary system 100 describes cable and/or satellite transmission, itis contemplated that other modes of transmission, such as Internetprotocol television (IPTV), may be used to transfer video data fromsource (e.g., server) to destination (e.g., client).

Television server 105 serves various media content such as televisionprograms, movies, video-on-demand, and advertisements. The content mayreside at the television server 105 or be received from one or moredifferent sources (not shown). Further, television server 105 mayprovide other information to client devices 110, such as electronicprogram guide (EPG) data for program titles, ratings, characters,descriptions, genres, actor names, station identifiers, channelidentifiers, schedule information, and so on.

Television server 105 processes and transmits the media content overdistribution network 115. Distribution network 115 may include a cabletelevision network, RF, microwave, satellite, and/or data network suchas the Internet, and may also include wired or wireless media using anybroadcast format or broadcast protocol. Additionally, distributionnetwork 115 can be any type of network, using any type of networktopology and any network communication protocol, and may be representedor otherwise implemented as a combination of two or more networks.

Client devices 110 may be implemented in a number of ways. A particularclient device 110 may be coupled to any number of televisions and/orsimilar devices that may be implemented to display or otherwise rendercontent. Similarly, any number of client devices 110 may be coupled to atelevision.

For example, the client device 110(1) receives content including videostream output 120 from a satellite-based transmitter via a satellitedish 125. Content received by satellite dish 125 may be transmitteddirectly from television server 105 or transmitted from distributionnetwork 115. Client device 110(1) is also referred to as a set-top boxor a satellite receiving device. Client device 110(1) is coupled to atelevision 130 for presenting media content received by the clientdevice 110(1) (e.g., audio data and video data), as well as a graphicaluser interface (GUI). Alternatively, radio frequency (RF) antennas maybe used in place of satellite dish 125 to receive content.

Client device 110(2) is coupled to receive content from distributionnetwork 115 and provide the received content to a television 135. Clientdevice 110(N) is an example of a combination television 140 andintegrated set-top box 145. In this example, the various components andfunctionality of a set-top box are incorporated into a television,rather than using two separate devices. The set-top box incorporatedinto the television may receive content signals via a satellite dish(similar to satellite dish 125) and/or connected directly todistribution network 115. In alternate implementations, client devices110 may receive content signals via the Internet or any other broadcastmedium.

Television server 105 is configured to transmit a single video stream ortwo video streams. The video stream(s) are shown as video stream 120.Video stream 120 may include video images from the media contentprovider. When two video streams are transmitted, it is contemplatedthat one video stream is a compressed version of the other (full scale)video stream. The compressed video stream makes use of fewertransmission resources than the full scale video stream. In other words,the compressed video stream makes use of less bandwidth resources whenbroadcasted to client devices. The compressed video stream providesscaled video images that are similar in appearance to the full scalevideo images of the full scale video stream.

The scaled video images, along with a GUI, are overlaid onto full scaleimages at client devices 110. Exemplary display layouts are shown as150(1) on television 130, 150(2) on television 135, and 150(3) ontelevision 140. These display layouts are described in more detail inthe next section.

User Interface

FIG. 2A shows an exemplary screen 200 that may be presented on atelevision screen, computer monitor, or other type of displayimplemented at the client device 110. The screen display is similar tothe display layouts 150 shown in FIG. 1.

Screen display 200 includes a full scale image 205, a scaled image 210,and a graphical user interface (GUI) 215. The full scale image 205 isrepresentative of a full scale video stream received at the clientdevice 110. The full scale image 205 occupies the entire area of thescreen. The scaled image 210 represents video images of a scaled (and incertain cases compressed) video stream received at the client device110, which is an undistorted scaled version of the full scale videostream represented by image 205. The scaled image 210 is visuallysimilar to the full scale image 205.

In this example, the scaled image 210 is placed in the lower left cornerof the screen 200. Alternatively, the scaled image 210 may be placed inother sections of screen 200. Considering that most users are accustomedto viewing or “reading” information from left to right and from top tobottom, information and/or sub images (i.e., scaled image 200) may belaid out in order of importance from top left to bottom right of screen200. The layout may be changed to suit the particular application of theGUI 215, the particular format of video as represented by images 205and/or 210, or a target audience. For example, a target audience thatreads text right-to-left might benefit from a different layout.

The GUI 215 is overlaid onto full scale image 205. GUI 215 may providevarious pieces of information presented in various layouts. GUI 215 isintended to provide one example of a countless number of graphicalinterface menus. GUI 215 is placed alongside scaled image 210 in amanner that does not obscure the scaled image 210. Both GUI 215 andscaled image 210 are overlaid onto and partly obscure full scale image205.

In this example, GUI 215 is a program guide 220 that includes a timeline225, channel information beneath a “channels” heading 230, and movieinformation beneath a “movies” heading 235. A user may select aparticular entry (i.e., movie) from the programming guide 220, and asummary 240 describing the movie of interest is presented. The summarymay include a critic and a censor rating, along with a brief descriptionof the movie. In this example, the user has selected the movie “The Cow”on channel “106” as exhibited by the enlarged title and channel numberin the guide 220. The summary 240 presents information about the movie“The Cow”.

Screen 205 comprises a set of graphical user interface arrows 245(1),245(2), 245(3), and 245(4) to allow a user to navigate through the GUI215. In this example, arrows 245(1) and 245(2) allow a user to scrollthrough the channels 230; and arrows 245(3) and 245(4) allow the user toscroll through the timeline 225. Graphical user interface arrows 245 areconfigured to provide input from the user back to either the televisionserver 105 or client device 110 of FIG. 1, or to another device and/orsystem, such as a “head in” defined as a TV operator's operation center,providing the graphical user interface 215.

While the menu 215 is present, the scaled video image 210 is presentedatop the full scale image 205 and both video images continue to displaythe ongoing program. Since the full scale image 205 is similar image toscaled video image 210, the user is able to watch the unobscured,reduced scaled image 210 while the menu 215 is present, therebyminimizing interruption to the ongoing program. The user is able to makean easy and intuitive visual transition from full-screen unobscuredvideo to an interactive mode in which a reduced video continues playing.The scaled video images continues to provide unobscured video images,yet leaves screen 200 free for interactive user interface elements(i.e., GUI 215).

FIG. 2B shows a screen 200 with an alternative exemplary display output.Full scale image 205 continues to occupy the entire screen 200 as shownin FIG. 2A; however, in this example scaled image 210 has been moved.This illustrates that scaled video image 210 is not limited to anyparticular portion of screen 200, but may be placed anywhere on screen200. Scaled image 210 may also be in a different format than full scaleimage 205 in order to maximize user viewing. For example, if full scaleimage 205 is in a letterbox format, scaled image 210 is displayed in aformat that may be better viewed by the user.

A different GUI 250 is presented to the user. In this particularexample, GUI 250 describes program information 255. The particularprogram information relates to the movie “The Cow” which provides asummary 260 that includes the title, censor rating, and a more detailedsummary than presented in summary 240. Further, GUI 250 providesinteractive buttons for the use to choose from. In particular, button260 allows the user to go back to the guide, button 265 allows the userto order the movie, and button 270 provides a preview of the movie.

Television Server

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary television server 105 that provides one ormore video streams to the client devices. Such video streams contain thefull scale image 205 and the scaled image 210 of FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B.Furthermore, the television server 105 may broadcast GUI 215 of FIG. 2Aand GUI 250 of FIG. 2B. Television server 105 may be implemented as partof a larger server architecture that provides a variety of televisionand Internet based services, where the larger server architecture ispart of a “head end”. Television server 105 may be compatible with oneof various standards including the Microsoft® Corporation's “TV Server”server.

Television server 105 includes a receiver component 305 which may beconfigured as an input/output unit. Receiver component 305 receivesmedia content 310 that includes audio, video data, and GUI data (i.e.,data related to full scale image 205, scaled image 210, and GUIs 215,250). Media content 310 may be received from a media content provider orsome other source.

A processor 315 is included in television server 105. The processor 315may perform the functions of initializing/monitoring other components intelevision server 105, processing various applications/programs, andfetching data and instructions.

Television server 105 includes a storage/memory component 320 configuredto store various applications/programs, an operating system, and contentsuch as media content 310. Storage/memory component 320 may includerandom access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM). Furthermore,storage/memory component 320 may be configured as an optical, magneticor some other read/write storage medium.

It is contemplated that media content 310 includes video content thatcomprises a single video stream. Television server 105 includes a videosplitter component 325 that receives the single video stream and splitsit into two video streams.

One of the two video streams is received by a video compressor component330. Video compressor component 330 may be configured to use a lossycompression algorithm to reduce video images of the particular videostream that is received. The lossy compression algorithm particularlydrops quality information from the video images such as eliminating somelines from the compressed video. Since the compressed video images aredisplayed as a scaled version of the uncompressed images at a clientdevice, a user is not aware of any degradation in video image qualityfrom the compression: video images merely appear smaller. A video streamof compressed images (compressed video stream) is produced by videocompressor component 330.

A synchronizer component 335 may be used to synchronize images of thecompressed video stream along with images of the uncompressed (fullscale) video stream. The synchronizer component 335 provides that thesame images, one scaled and the other full scale, are displayed at thesame time. It is contemplated that synchronizer component 335 may alsosynchronize audio content and other media content (e.g., subtitleinformation) along with the images of the compressed and full scalevideo streams. Separate media content streams (i.e., distinct audio andvideo streams) may be sent from television server 105; however, inparticular embodiments, audio and video streams may be interleaved withone another to create a single media stream that includes video andaudio content.

A video stream output component 340 is included in television server 105to output compressed video stream 345 and a full scale video stream 350.The images of either compressed video stream 345 and/or full scale videostream 350 may be altered (i.e., image format changed) without affectingthe images of the other video stream. For example, images of thecompressed video stream 345 may be transmitted in letter box formatwhile images of the full scale video stream 350 may be transmitted inanother format.

Video stream output component 340 may provide output directly tobroadcast network 115 of FIG. 1 or may output to other servers, devices,and sub-networks within a head end prior to broadcast to client devices.In certain embodiments, a single video stream is outputted from thevideo stream output component 340, instead of the two video streams 345and 350. As discussed further below, in the case of a single videostream, a receiving client device receives and splits the single videostream into two video streams.

Client Device

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary client device 110 that receives the one ormore video streams served by the television server 105. In certainembodiments, the client device 110 receives two video streams (i.e.,video streams 345 and 350 of FIG. 3). In other embodiments, the clientdevice 110 receives a single video stream. Client device 110 isconfigured to receive data content 400 that includes the compressedvideo stream 345 and the full scale video stream 350 of FIG. 3, or asingle video stream. When two video streams are received, one streamwill contain full scale video images that represent full scale image205, and the other video stream will contain scaled video images thatrepresent scaled image 210 of FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B. Furthermore, clientdevice 110 may be configured to receive GUI data that represents GUI 215of FIG. 2A and GUI 250 of FIG. 2B.

A tuner 405 receives signals representing the data content 400. Tuner405 may comprise a broadcast in-band tuner (not shown) configured toreceive signals from a particular channel; an out-of-bound tuner (notshown) configured to facilitate the transfer of data from a head end tothe client device 110; and a return path tuner (not shown) configured tosend data from the client device 110.

A demodulator/modulator component 410 of client device 105 convertsanalog signals from tuner 405 to digital bit streams. The analog signalsand the digital bit streams include video streams. The digital bitstreams are received at a demultiplexer component 415. The digital bitstreams comprise a number of uniquely identified data packets thatinclude a packet identifier (PID) which identifies a particular formatof data including video and audio data.

The demultiplexer component 415 examines the PID and forwards a datapacket associated with the PID to a specific decoder. In particularcases, a data packet containing video data is sent to a videodecoder/data decoder component 420. The video data represents the singlestream of video or the compressed video stream 345 and full scale videostream 350 of FIG. 3. In the case when two video streams (compressed andfull scale) are received by client device 110, the video decoder/datadecoder component 420 transforms the data packet containing the videodata into a sequence of scaled and full scale images which are sent overa system bus 425. The system bus 425 in turn sends the images to a TV &Video Output 430 which is connected to a monitor or a television.

In a particular embodiment, when a single video stream is sent to clientdevice 110, the data packet containing the video data is transformedinto a sequence of images which are sent to a video streamsplitter/compressor component 435 which creates scaled images and fullscale images. The scaled images may or may not be compressed by thevideo stream splitter/compressor component 435. It is contemplated thatother embodiments may place the video stream splitter/compressor 435 orsimilar component at different locations within the data processingcomponents described above. For example, the digital bit stream may besplit before received by demodulator/modulator component 410; or thedata packet containing video data may be split before received by thevideo decoder/data decoder component 415.

Processor component 440 is configured to communicate over the system bus425, and performs functions that include initializing various clientdevice 110 components, processing various applications, monitoringhardware within client device 110, and fetching data and instructionsfrom a memory component 445. Processor component 440 may also performthe function of synchronizing full scaled and scaled video images.

Memory component 445 may comprise RAM used to temporarily store datathat is processed between processor component 440 and various hardwarecomponents as described above. Memory component 445 may also include ROMto store instructions. Further, memory component 445 may includeread/write storage devices such as hard disks and removable medium.

User interface or graphical interface menu data may be sent to clientdevice 110 as part of data content 400. Tuner 405 receives the graphicalinterface menu data that is part of data content 400.Demodulator/modulator component 410, demultiplexer component 415 andvideo decoder/data decoder 420 may process the graphical interface menudata. In certain embodiments components that provide similarfunctionality may be used to process the graphical interface menu data.Processed graphical interface menu data is sent to a graphics processorcomponent 450 which renders a graphical interface menu (graphical userinterface) to be overlaid onto video images. The graphical interfacemenu is sent to system bus 425 which in turn sends the graphicalinterface menu to TV & Video Output 430 which is connected to a monitoror television such as televisions 130, 135, and 140 of FIG. 1. Themonitor or television provides a screen that displays video images withan overlaid scaled video image and the overlaid graphical interfacemenu. Graphical interface menu data may also be generated entirelywithin the client device 110, and not sent as part of the data content400.

Operation

FIG. 5 shows an exemplary process 500 of providing video streams thatmay be used in an output display that provides a full scale imageoverlaid with a visually similar, but scaled image and GUI, such as aprogram guide or other menu. Process 500 may be incorporated attelevision server 105 of FIG. 2 or client device 110 of FIG. 3. It iscontemplated that the blocks described below of process 500 may beoperations that are implemented in hardware, software, and/or acombination.

At block 505, a video stream is received and split into two identicalvideo streams. This may be done through an analog RF splitter, ordigital information related to images of the received video stream maybe copied from the original video stream and creating a duplicate videostream. The video splitting may be performed by the video splittercomponent 225 of television server 105 shown in FIG. 2, or the videostream splitter/compressor 335 of client device 110 as shown in FIG. 3.

At block 510, one of the video streams is compressed. As describedabove, the compressed video stream represents the scaled image 210displayed on screen 200 of FIGS. 2A and 2B. This compression may beperformed using one of various lossy compression techniques by the videocompressor 330 of television server 105 as shown in FIG. 3, or the videostream splitter/compressor 435 of client device 110 as shown in FIG. 4.

At block 515, a determination is made whether the two video streams areto be synchronized. When block 505 or block 510 occurs, or some otherprocess involving one and/or both of the video streams, one stream maybe delayed relative to the other. The determination process of block 515may be performed by processor component 315 of television server 105shown in FIG. 3, or processor component 440 of client device 110 shownin FIG. 4.

At block 520, if the streams need not be synchronized (i.e., the “No”branch from block 515), the video streams are output. This operation maybe performed as an output function of television server 105 of FIG. 3,and particularly by video stream output component 340 of televisionserver 105. Block 520 may also be performed as a function of clientdevice 110 of FIG. 4 where the video streams are output to system bus425 and out to TV & Video Output 430 of FIG. 4.

At block 525, if the streams need to be synchronized (i.e., followingthe “Yes” branch of block 515) the video streams are synchronized inorder for the same images to be streamed and presented with one another.At block 525 may be performed by synchronizer 335 of television server105 as shown in FIG. 3, processor component 440 of FIG. 4 as describedabove. The synchronized video streams are then output by block 520.

With the two video streams, one having scaled images and the otherhaving full scale images, a user is able manipulate images of one streamindependent of manipulating the images of the other stream. In otherwords, as described above and shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a user maymodify the scale image 210 to a format that provides better user viewingwithout modifying full scale image 205.

FIG. 6 shows an exemplary process 600 of displaying a graphical userinterface (GUI) using the video streams of process 500 of FIG. 5. Inparticular the GUI and scaled images are overlaid onto full scaleimages. Process 600 may be particularly implemented for screen 400 asshown in FIG. 4.

At block 605, a provision is made for display of a full scale imagewhich is part of a full scale video stream as described above. The fullscale video image occupies the entire screen or display as illustratedby full scale image 205 described above in FIGS. 2A and 2B.

At block 610 a scaled video is displayed or overlaid onto a scaled videoimage on top of the full scale video image. The scaled video image andthe full scale video image are similar in appearance. The scaled videoimage is illustrated as scaled image 210 of FIGS. 2A and 2B above. Thescaled video image may be placed in any location on the full scaleimage. Placement may be predicated on accommodating the user, ease ofviewing, and user choice.

At block 615 a GUI is placed (overlaid) onto the full scale video imageobscuring the full scale video image, but not obscuring the scaled videoimage. The GUI is illustrated as GUI 215 of FIG. 2A and GUI 250 of FIG.2B.

At block 620 a user may perform an action, such as menu selection, onthe GUI. Actions may include choosing a menu item, scrolling throughitems provided in the GUI, and calling up menus and/or other interfaces.

At block 625 action or actions of block 620 may be performed such asinstructing a device such as television server 105 of FIG. 3 or clientdevice 110 of FIG. 4 to provide new (e.g., modified) information to theGUI.

Although the invention has been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarilylimited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specificfeatures and acts are disclosed as exemplary forms of implementing theclaimed invention.

1. A method comprising: receiving a first video stream of full scaleimages; creating a second video stream of visually similar, but reducedscaled images; and outputting the first and second video streams ofimages along with a graphical user interface, wherein the scaled imagesand graphical user interface are overlaid onto the full scale images. 2.The method of claim 1 wherein the scaled images are a different formatthan the full scale images.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein thereceiving is from a media content provider.
 4. The method of claim 1wherein receiving further comprises receiving other media content. 5.The method of claim 1 wherein the creating is performed by splitting thereceived video stream of images.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein thecreating is performed by splitting the received video stream of imagesand compressing the selected ones of the images.
 7. The method of claim6 wherein the compressing is performed by a compression algorithm. 8.The method of claim 1 further comprising synchronizing the images of thevideo streams.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the synchronizing isperformed on other media content.
 10. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising accepting instructions from a user that modify the graphicaluser interface.
 11. A television server that performs the method ofclaim
 11. 12. A head end system that comprises the television server ofclaim
 11. 13. A method comprising: receiving media content; separatingfrom the media content a video stream comprised of scaled images, avideo stream comprised of full scale images, a graphical user interface;and displaying the full scale images on a screen, wherein the scaledimages and graphical user interface are overlaid onto the full scaleimages.
 14. The method of claim 13 wherein the full scale images are adifferent format than the scaled images.
 15. The method of claim 13wherein the scaled images are compressed images of the full scaleimages.
 16. The method of claim 13 wherein the receiving is from adistrubution network.
 17. The method of claim 13 wherein thedistribution network is part of television entertainment system.
 18. Themethod of claim 13 wherein the separating is performed by one or moretuners.
 19. The method of claim 13 further comprising synchronizingsimilar images of the fill scale and scaled images.
 20. The method ofclaim 19 wherein the synchronizing is performed with other media data.21. A client device that performs the method of claim
 13. 22. A methodcomprising: receiving a video stream of images and a graphical userinterface; splitting the video stream into two similar video streams;scaling the images of one of the two video streams to create a videostream of scaled images; displaying full scale images of the videostream whose images are not scaled; and overlaying the scaled images andgraphical user interface onto the full scale images.
 23. The method ofclaim 22 wherein the video stream of images and the graphical userinterface are part of other media content.
 24. The method of claim 22wherein the full scaled images are a different format than the scaledimages.
 25. The method of claim 22 wherein the scaling comprisescompressing of the scaled images.
 26. The method of claim 25 wherein thecompressing is performed using a compression algorithm.
 27. The methodof claim 22 wherein the receiving is from a distribution network. 28.The method of claim 27 wherein the distribution network is part atelevision entertainment system.
 29. The method of claim 22 furthercomprising synchronizing the full scale images with the scaled images.30. The method of claim 29 wherein the synchronizing is performed withother media data.
 31. A client device that performs the method of claim22.
 32. A server comprising: means for receiving media content; meansfor creating two similar video streams from a received video streamincluded in the media content; means for scaling images of one the videostreams; and means for broadcasting images of the video streamcomprising scaled images and the video stream whose images are notscaled.
 33. The server of claim 32 wherein the means for scalingcomprises compression the images using a compression algorithm.
 34. Theserver of claim 32 wherein the means for broadcasting further comprisesa graphical user interface.
 35. The server of claim 34 furthercomprising means for accepting instructions from a remote user to modifyinformation related to the graphical user interface.
 36. A client devicecomprising: means for receiving one or two video streams of images,wherein when two video streams are received one of the video streamscomprises scaled images and the other video stream comprises full scaleimages; means for creating an identical video stream of images when onlyone video stream is received; means for scaling images of one of thevideo streams to a create a video stream of scaled images when only onevideo stream is received; and means for displaying the full scale imagesand scaled images overlaid onto the full scale images.
 37. The clientdevice of claim 36 wherein the means for receiving is from adistribution network.
 38. The client device of claim 36 wherein themeans for receiving further comprises a graphical user interface. 39.The client device of claim 38 wherein the means for displaying furthercomprises overlaying the graphical user interface onto the full scaleimages.
 40. The client device of claim 36 further comprising means foraccepting actions from a user to modify the graphical user interface.41. The client device of claim 36 wherein the means for scalingcomprises compressing the images.
 42. A server comprising: a memory; aprocessor coupled to the memory; and instructions stored in the memoryand executable on the processor to access media content from a sourcewherein the media content comprises a video stream of full scale images;create a similar video stream; scale images of one of the video streams;and broadcast the video streams and a graphical user interface, whereinthe full images are displayed at a receiving device and the scaledimages along with graphical user interface are overlaid onto the fullscale images.
 43. The server of claim 42 wherein the instructionsfurther comprise receiving and processing information that changes thegraphical user interface.
 44. A client device comprising: a memory; aprocessor coupled to the memory; and instructions stored in the memoryand executable on the processor to receive one or two video streams anda graphical user interface; create an identical video stream of scaledimages if only one stream is received; scale images of one of the videostreams; and display images of the non-scaled video stream overlaid withthe scale images and the graphical user interface.
 45. The server ofclaim 44 wherein the instructions further comprise receiving andprocessing information that changes the graphical user interface.
 46. Acomputer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions forperforming steps comprising: receiving video stream data and graphicaluser interface; splitting the video stream data to create two videostreams of similar data; creating scaled images of one of two videostreams; and outputting the video streams and the graphical userinterface to a display device.
 47. The computer-readable medium of claim46 further comprising processing instructions to modify the graphicaluser interface.
 48. A system comprising: a television server; and aclient device configured to receive one or two video streams from thetelevision server computer, where when two video streams are receivedone stream comprises scaled video images and the other stream comprisesfull scale images, and a graphical user interface; create a scaled imagevideo stream if only one video stream is received; and display the fullscale images with overlaid scaled images and the graphical userinterface.
 49. The system of claim 48 wherein the television serverprovides the graphical user interface to the client device.
 50. Thesystem of claim 48 wherein the television server is configured toreceive instructions to modify the graphical user interface.
 51. Thesystem of claim 50 wherein the client device is further configured tomodify the graphical user interface.